Chapter 029: The Greatest Victor!

The Whisper of the Wind God unleashed tremendous power. Under the tempest it summoned, not only did houses topple, but even the water dragon condensed by Gu Yiqing was instantly dispersed. Yet, the teahouse where Song Ye sat remained utterly unmoved, untouched by the raging winds. This was because Qin Xuanxi had secretly employed her magic to shield the surroundings.

At this moment, Chen Huaiyin remarked, “The Whisper of the Wind God is a high-level wind technique—look, several houses outside have been blown over, but inside this teahouse, we don’t feel a hint of the gale. It must be the two Immortal Lords from the Ethereal Sect secretly protecting us with their magic!” Clearly, Chen Huaiyin attributed the credit to Zhu Changqing and Gu Yiqing.

However, by now, Zhu Changqing and Gu Yiqing were struggling to maintain their own footing and had no attention to spare for Chen Huaiyin or the disciples of the Moon-Seizing Sect. Caught within the vortex of the Whisper of the Wind God, the two Immortal Lords had to summon the full extent of their magic just to remain upright.

Gu Yiqing recognized the immortal puppet employing the technique—it was Zhu Wei, one of the Seven Immortals of the Holy Heavens, renowned for his mastery of wind techniques, with the Whisper of the Wind God as his signature move. Yet, she noticed that the power of the Whisper, driven by Nangong Lengyu through the Zhu Wei puppet, far exceeded anything Zhu Wei himself could have accomplished. After all, Zhu Wei, while an immortal master, could not rival the strength of an Immortal Lord; but Nangong Lengyu, as the Demon Lord, wielded profoundly greater power. With his formidable magic enhancing the puppet, the Whisper of the Wind God achieved a devastating might.

Only after a full quarter-hour did the winds abate, the Whisper’s effects finally dissipating. The scene was one of utter ruin: houses lay in shattered heaps, great trees had been torn up by the roots and flung far afield. Under the onslaught of the Whisper, Qiuyu Village was unrecognizable; even the sign bearing its name at the entrance had vanished, blown away who knew where.

Seeing this, Song Ye could only shake his head in resignation. Who would have thought that in the end, it was not the Yan Kingdom’s army that destroyed the village, but the battle between two Immortal Lords and a Demon Lord? As the saying went, when immortals clash, mortals suffer.

At that moment, Zhu Changqing and Gu Yiqing exchanged a furtive glance. Fearing further delay would bring disaster, they resolved to strike together and end the fight swiftly. Gu Yiqing summoned all her power, her robes billowing with energy.

The Nineteenth Water Technique—Ice Coffin!

A massive ice coffin materialized from thin air, sealing the seven immortal master puppets of Nangong Lengyu within. He tried to force them to move, only to find they were trapped, unable to budge. Grinding his teeth, Nangong Lengyu spat, “Curse you, Gu Yiqing, you wretched old witch!”

Immediately, Zhu Changqing unleashed his own spell.

The Twenty-first Fire Technique—Flame Spear!

Seven blazing spears descended thunderously from above, piercing the ice coffin and skewering each of the seven immortal puppets within. This was the seamless cooperation honed through years between Zhu Changqing and Gu Yiqing: first, she immobilized the puppets with her ice coffin, then he destroyed them utterly with his flame spears.

In the blink of an eye, the seven immortal puppets were rendered useless.

“Damn you!” Nangong Lengyu could do nothing but abandon the ruined puppets, stumbling back several steps. Suddenly, a mouthful of blood burst from his lips. The immense effort of controlling seven puppets at once had already drained him, and now, with their destruction, his fury and frustration aggravated his old injuries.

“Excellent—the Bone Demon Lord is wounded!” Duan Ling, who had been silent until now, could hardly contain his excitement, sensing that victory was within reach. After all, the lives of everyone present hinged on the outcome of this battle: if the Bone Demon Lord won, they would likely all be harvested for bones and made into puppets; only if the two Immortal Lords of the Ethereal Sect prevailed would they have any hope of survival.

Chen Huaiyin was equally elated. “With our two Immortal Lords joining forces, the Bone Demon Lord is no match! His countless crimes are finally catching up to him—today, justice will be served!”

Zhou Nongshan, who until now had been focused solely on eating, had long since put down his chopsticks and watched the unfolding battle with great anxiety. For cultivators like them, witnessing a battle between beings of such exalted rank was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Moreover, every such battle would be recorded in the annals of cultivation history. He thought to himself, perhaps, as spectators of this clash, the three disciples of the Moon-Seizing Sect might be mentioned in those histories, if only in passing.

In that way, their names might also become immortalized.

Yet, at this very moment, something entirely unexpected occurred. Duan Ling, Zhou Nongshan’s junior brother, suddenly grabbed a stool from the ground and hurled it at the Bone Demon Lord. The stool was pulverized to dust by the lord’s protective aura before it even reached his head, but Duan Ling’s audacity stunned everyone present.

“Bone Demon Lord!” Duan Ling shouted, having just thrown the stool. “I, Duan Ling, ninth generation disciple of the Moon-Seizing Sect, have long been outraged by your crimes. Today, even if I must risk my life, I will help the two Immortal Lords bring you to justice!”

Seeing this, Zhou Nongshan could not help but mentally salute his brother. The damage Duan Ling caused with that stool was, in truth, none at all, yet with this single gesture, he had managed to elevate himself from mere bystander to participant in the battle. When this event was written into the annals of cultivation, perhaps Duan Ling’s name would appear.

After all, the outcome was now clear: two against one, the Bone Demon Lord was doomed. It was only wise to seize the chance for some glory before the battle ended, to ensure their names would be remembered.

Inspired, Zhou Nongshan followed suit, grabbing a stool and flinging it. His throw lacked power, and the stool landed at Nangong Lengyu’s feet, but that did not stop him from declaring fiercely, “Count me in, Zhou Nongshan! Even if I bleed dry here today, I’ll drag you, Bone Demon Lord, down to hell with me!”

Chen Huaiyin, momentarily stunned, wondered what was happening. The battle was not even over, yet somehow it had reached the stage for bold declarations. She quickly understood their intent, and hurriedly snatched up a teacup, aimed, and hurled it at the Bone Demon Lord’s head. Of course, the cup shattered against his aura just as the stools had, but that did not dampen her own fierce words.

“I, Chen Huaiyin, ninth generation disciple of the Moon-Seizing Sect, will join the two Immortal Lords of the Ethereal Sect today in casting you, vile Demon Lord, into hell!”

Evidently, the greatest winners in this battle were the three disciples of the Moon-Seizing Sect, who so skillfully seized the credit and renown for themselves.